What is ranked-choice voting and how does it work in US elections?

In Alaska, a controversy is unfolding over whether two Senate candidates with roughly the same name will cancel each other out. The debate has shone a spotlight on a relatively uncommon style of voting in the United States: a system known as “ranked choice”. Only two states in the United States — Alaska and Maine — employ ranked-choice voting throughout their territory, though major cities like New York have also embraced the practice. Ranked-choice ballots allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference, rather than choosing just one. If a voter’s first choice does not win a majority, their vote can be transferred to their second pick.